With two major hurricanes in the past two years, and this summer’s wild weather mood swings — from heavy rain for weeks on end to high temperatures nearing 100 — New Jersey has become fairly accustomed to questions about how the extreme weather is affecting our farmers.

We get questions from the press about it, from the farmers seeking help, from the consumers concerned that their favorite produce might be in short supply.

Jeff Danner, general manager of Eastern Propak LLC in Glassboro, NJ, told The Produce News that New Jersey’s peach movement started slower than normal this year due to a cool early spring.

“As we headed into summer, movement continued to run a couple of weeks behind,” said Danner. “We typically wrap up around Labor Day, but growers are pretty much of the mind that they’ll go into the middle of September.”

Minneapolis-based Full Tilt Marketing hired ALISON EILER as its new marketing coordinator on Aug. 7.

The Michigan Apple Committee, a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to encouraging the consumption of Michigan apples, kicks off the 2013 harvest season with a fresh new look to its logo design. The new logo will be incorporated into packaging and signage, as well as online and in other communication materials.

The word ‘transparency’ has undergone a substantial transformation in recent years. Previously associated with being one-dimensional or thinly veiled, possessing transparency now has more positive connotations.

James (Jim) Kowalski, co-founder of Kowalski Markets, died in an accident Sept. 5 while on a fishing trip in Ontario. He was 67.

Customers as well as current and former employees spoke of Mr. Kowalski’s kindness, one noting that he was more of a father than a boss.